Speaking of the tourism targets, Phong said that last year the province
welcomed 6.5 million visitors, earning revenue of over 1.7 trillion VND
(75 million USD). The province aims to receive 6.7 million visitors this
year and 7.6 million visitors by 2020, reaching revenue of 3 trillion
VND (132 million USD).

Ninh Binh province is an increasing favourite destination for many
tourists in Vietnam. It is land of renowned landscapes, historical
relics, traditional trade villages, and varied cuisine. One particularly
notable site is the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a
UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Site in Vietnam. But the tourism
industry in the province wants more help from local officials.

The conference heard many opinions about the challenges facing Ninh Binh
province’s tourism industry. Representatives of many travel agencies,
for example, complained about high prices for goods and services.

They suggested Ninh Binh tourism industry leaders pay more attention to
developing souvenirs, diversifying local specialties to meet visitors’
different tastes and seeking effective solutions to the issue of
overcharging.

According to Nguyen Quy Phuong,head of the travel industry department
under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the provincial
sector should be concerned about promoting itself to the international
market. He also suggested the province invest in its infrastructure and
human resources to develop tourism sustainably.

Bui Thanh Dong, the general director of Ninh Binh province’s Department
of Tourism, said that the province is diversifying souvenirs by
researching and introducing new ones, such as duplicates of Thai Binh
Hung Bao coins, the first coin in Vietnam. He added that the sector will
co-operate with related industries to enhance the tourism services of
the province and offer favourable conditions to travel agencies.